Disc brakes controlled by bowden cables

ABSTRACT

A disc brake for a cycle is actuated by a drum around which a control cable is wrapped. The cable is anchored to the drum by releasable clamping means.

United States Patent Mennesson [54] DISC BRAKES CONTROLLED BY BOWDENCABLES Inventor: Bernard Rene Mennesson, Neuilly sur Seine, FranceAssignee: Societe DAppareils De Controle Et DEquipement Des MoleursS.A.C.E.M.

Filed: Sept. 25, 1969 Appl. No.: 861,060

Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 30, 1968 France ..l68l37 U.S. CI..l88/7I.7, 188/2 B, 188/26, 188/721, 188/196 M Int. Cl ..Fl6d 65/38Field of Search [151 3,655,015 [451 Apr. 11, 1972 [56] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 1,869,562 8/1932 Huck ..l88/ 196 M UX 3,l09,5l711/1963 Butler et al. ..l88/72.6 X 3,425,520 2/1969 Frigger l 88/72.6 X

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 76,6l7 10/1959 France 188/26 PrimaryExaminer-George E. A. Halvosa Attorney-Fleit, Gipple & Jacobson [57]ABSTRACT A disc brake for a cycle is actuated by a drum around which acontrol cable is wrapped. The cable is anchored to the drum byreleasable clamping means.

10 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR 1 1 I972 w i w Illllllllllfl-lll lHll INVENTOR BERNARD RENE MENNESSON BY a J .5 I 4 ATTORNEYS DISCBRAKES CONTROLLED BY BOWDEN CABLES The invention relates to a discbrakes of the type operated by a rotary member moved by means of aBowden cable control, and more particularly, since this applicationappears the most useful, to disc brakes for cycles, especially motorassisted cycles.

The principal object of the invention is to made brakes of this typesimple and economical in construction and easy to adjust.

To this end, the disc brake of the type described is characterized inthat the rotary member is in the form of a drum to which a portion ofthe control cable, which is wrapped round this drum through an angle atleast equal to the angle of rotation imparted to the drum duringbraking, is anchored by releasable clamping means, in such a way thatthe brake can be adjusted, after the clamping means have been released,by sliding the portion of cable on the drum and re-anchoring the cablewith the said means.

The invention will, in any case, be better understood from the followingdescription and the accompanying drawings, relating to a preferredembodiment.

FIG. 1 of the drawings is a partial elevation of a disc brake embodyingthe invention; and

FIG. 2 shows the same brake in vertical section along the line llll inFIG. 1.

A disc brake for a motor assisted cycle, of which only those componentsnecessary to comprehension of the invention, that is to say, the hub 1of one wheel, the axle 2 of this wheel and part of the frame 3, areshown, is formed as follows.

As regards the brake as a whole, this is designed in any appropriatemanner so that it has a disc 4 attached to the hub l and a rotary member5 moved by means of a Bowden cable control, with a cable 6 and sheath 7.The cable 6 may be bare over a substantial portion of its length, thesheath 7 by stopping at a sheath stop 8 attached to the frame 3.

The rotary member 5 is in the form of a drum or pulley onto which aportion 6a of the cable 6 is anchored by releasable clamping means. Thisportion 6a is wrapped round the drum through an angle at least equal tothe angle of rotation imparted to the drum during braking. In theembodiment illustrated, in which the angular travel of the drum orrotary member 5 is substantially less than 360, the angle of wrap of theportion 6a is slightly less than 360 (FIG. 1).

Advantageously, the clamping means mentioned above are formed by a screw9 which is engaged in a tapped hole 10 in the drum 5 and whose head isadapted to clamp the portion 6a, generally by way of a washer 11, in agroove 12 formed in the periphery of the drum 5.

Preferably, the brake is formed of two jaws l3, 14 which are hingedrelative to one another on a pivot 15 situated substantially in theplane of the operative portion of the disc 4, and of which the frictionsurfaces 16 (generally in the form of detachable linings) may be broughtcloser to or further from the disc by an assembly comprising a threadedrod 17 and a nut whose axis is parallel to that of the disc, the rod 17being situated as near as possible to the outer edge of the disc. Thenut is preferably formed by the drum 5 itself, which, to this end, bearsan internal thread 18 adapted to co-operate with the external thread onthe rod 17. Between the jaws l3, 14 there is preferably a return spring19 which tends to release them, and which may a spring anchored toportions of of the jaws projecting beyond the pivot 15 relative to thefriction surfaces 16.

Advantageously, in order to support the jaws both statically (when thebrake is off) and dynamically (when the brake is on) a support 20 havinga U-shaped channel with a base 20a and sides 20b is provided. The jawsl3, 14 are housed together in this channel in such a way that theircommon pivot 15 passes through the sides 20b, preferably through slotssuch as 21 running parallel to the rod 17, and their edges, at least 10-cally, are supported in sliding fashion on the sides 20b. This support20, which may readily be made from bent sheet-metal, may also have twoouter wings 20c, which are situated in the same plane and adjoin therespective sides 20b of the channel, these wings 20c serving to fix thesupport 20, for example by meansof bolts 22, to the frame 3 or to anelement 23 attached to this frame.

To complete the brake, that end of the cable 6 which runs through thesheath 8 is attached to a grip or lever (not shown), and a stop 24 isanchored to the other end of the cable, a return spring 25 beinginserted between this stop and an abutment 26 attached to the frame 3.

The resulting disc brake operates as follows:

Normally, the spring 25 exerts traction on the cable 6, tending to turnthe drum 5 in the direction opposite to the arrow f (FIG. 1), that is,in the direction in which the drum is unscrewed relative to the rod 17.The spring 19 holds the surfaces 16 of the disc 4.

During braking, the user exerts traction on the cable 6, overcoming theaction of the spring 25 and tending to turn the drum 5 in the directionof the arrow f, that is, in the direction in which the drum is screwedalong the rod 17. As a result, the disc 4 is clamped between thesurfaces 16. The braking force, which tends to drag the jaws 13, 14towards the right of FIG. 1 when rotation is in the direction indicatedby the arrow F, is absorbed by the support 20, through its right-handside 20b. The shape of the support profile enables it to absorb thisstress without being appreciably deformed.

As the surfaces 16 become worn, the amplitude of the rotation to beimparted to the drum 5 in order to put the brake or increases. In orderto make the brake more sensitive, this amplitude should be reduced whenit exceeds certain limits. This can be done merely by releasing thescrew 9 (without touching the stop 24), rotating the drum therebysliding the cable portion 60 relatively to the groove 12 in the drum 5until the surfaces 16 just contact the disc 4 without exerting anypressure, and re-tightening the screw 9.

This adjustment is, of course, very easy to carry out. Also,

since the stop 24 is permanently attached to the cable 6, it

does not have the disadvantages inherent in conventional adjustingarrangements in which, since the stop 24 on the cable end must bereleased and re-tightened, the cable comes apart so that it breaks andwounds the user.

lclaim:

1. ln a disc brake operated by the movement of a rotary member rotatedby a Bowden cable control bearing stop means, more particularly forcycles and especially for motor assisted cycle, the improvement that therotary member is in the form of a drum, said stop means beingindependent of the drum, a portion of the control cable being wrappedaround said drum through an angle at least equal to the angle ofrotation imparted to the drum during braking, and anchored to the drum,releasable clamping means effecting said anchoring in such a way thatthe brake can be adjusted without altering said stop means, after theclamping means have been released, by rotating the drum relative to theportion of cable on the drum and re-anchoring the cable with saidclamping means.

2. The disc brake specified in claim 1, wherein the clamping means arein the form of a screw which engages a tapped hole in the drum and ofwhich the head is adapted to clamp the cable portion in a groove formedin the periphery of the drum.

3. The disc brake specified in claim 1, wherein the portion of the cablewrapped around the drum is extended on each side of the drum by two bareportions, the first bare portion extending as far as a fixed stopattached to the cycle frame for the cable sheath and the second bareportion bearing a stop anchored to the cable, a return spring beingsituated between the latter stop and afixed abutment attached to thecycle frame.

4. The disc brake according to claim 1, wherein said movement of therotary member is axial.

5. The disc brake specified in claim 1, comprising two jaws which arehinged relative to one another on a pivot situated substantially in theplane of the operative portion of the disc and of which the frictionsurfaces may be brought closer to and further away from the disc bymeans of an assembly comprising a threaded rod and a nut whose axis isparallel to that of the disc, wherein the nut is formed by the drumitself which to this end, bears an internal thread adapted to co-operatewith the external thread on the rod.

6. The disc brake specified in claim 5, wherein a return spring ispositioned between the jaws, this spring tending to release the jaws andbeing anchored to those portions of the jaws projecting beyond theirhinge pivot relative to the friction surfaces.

7. The disc brake according to claim 6, wherein said return spring is atension spring.

8. The disc brake specified in claim 5, wherein the jaws are mounted ona support with a channel of U-shaped profile, the

- 4 jaws being housed together in this channel in such a way that theircommon pivot passes through the sides of the channel, and their edges,at least locally, are supported in sliding fashion on the said sides.

9. Thedisc brake specified in claim 8, wherein the support has two outerwings situated in the same plane and adjoining the respective sides ofthe channel, and these outer wings serve to fix the support to the frameof a cycle which is to be braked or to an element attached to thisframe.

10. The disc brake according to claim 8, wherein said common pivotpasses through slots running parallel to the threaded rod.

1. In a disc brake operated by the movement of a rotary member rotatedby a Bowden cable control bearing stop means, more particularly forcycles and especially for motor assisted cycle, the improvement that therotary member is in the form of a drum, said stop means beingindependent of the drum, a portion of the control cable being wrappedaround said drum through an angle at least equal to the angle ofrotation imparted to the drum during braking, and anchored to the drum,releasable clamping means effecting said anchoring in such a way thatthe brake can be adjusted without altering said stop means, after theclamping means have been released, by rotating the drum relative to theportion of cable on the drum and re-anchorinG the cable with saidclamping means.
 2. The disc brake specified in claim 1, wherein theclamping means are in the form of a screw which engages a tapped hole inthe drum and of which the head is adapted to clamp the cable portion ina groove formed in the periphery of the drum.
 3. The disc brakespecified in claim 1, wherein the portion of the cable wrapped aroundthe drum is extended on each side of the drum by two bare portions, thefirst bare portion extending as far as a fixed stop attached to thecycle frame for the cable sheath and the second bare portion bearing astop anchored to the cable, a return spring being situated between thelatter stop and a fixed abutment attached to the cycle frame.
 4. Thedisc brake according to claim 1, wherein said movement of the rotarymember is axial.
 5. The disc brake specified in claim 1, comprising twojaws which are hinged relative to one another on a pivot situatedsubstantially in the plane of the operative portion of the disc and ofwhich the friction surfaces may be brought closer to and further awayfrom the disc by means of an assembly comprising a threaded rod and anut whose axis is parallel to that of the disc, wherein the nut isformed by the drum itself which to this end, bears an internal threadadapted to co-operate with the external thread on the rod.
 6. The discbrake specified in claim 5, wherein a return spring is positionedbetween the jaws, this spring tending to release the jaws and beinganchored to those portions of the jaws projecting beyond their hingepivot relative to the friction surfaces.
 7. The disc brake according toclaim 6, wherein said return spring is a tension spring.
 8. The discbrake specified in claim 5, wherein the jaws are mounted on a supportwith a channel of U-shaped profile, the jaws being housed together inthis channel in such a way that their common pivot passes through thesides of the channel, and their edges, at least locally, are supportedin sliding fashion on the said sides.
 9. The disc brake specified inclaim 8, wherein the support has two outer wings situated in the sameplane and adjoining the respective sides of the channel, and these outerwings serve to fix the support to the frame of a cycle which is to bebraked or to an element attached to this frame.
 10. The disc brakeaccording to claim 8, wherein said common pivot passes through slotsrunning parallel to the threaded rod.